Display motors



Jan. 26, 1960 s. M. WENGEL 2,922,901

DISPLAY MOTORS Filed March 7, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig, 2

INVENTOR. She/don M M49096! Jan. 26, 1960 l s. M. WENGEL 2,922,901

DISPLAY MOTORS Filed March 7, 1956 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. She/donM Wenge/ United States Patent DISPLAY MOTORS sheldon M. Wengel,Reedsburg, Wis. Application March 7, 1956, Serial No. 570,146

3 Claims. (Cl. 310-21 invention relates to improvements in displaymot'ors intended primarily for use in actuating display devices, such asthose used for advertising purposes, wherein a movable part carrying theadvertising is actuated by the motor. 1

In United States Letters Patent No. 2,598,954, issued to me on June 3,1952, there is described and claimed a display motor adapted for usewith an oscillatory advertising device which is actuated by theintermittent and automatic energization of a solenoid arranged to repela magnet in such a manner that repeated impulses are imparted to thedevice in response to its own movements. Such a display motor isconveniently operated by a dry cell battery which may be removed todiscontinue its operation.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a displaymotor which operates on the same principle as the one referred to abovebut which produces a rotary motion of the display device instead of anoscillatory movement thereof. A further object of the invention is toprovide a display motor of the type referred to in which intermittentimpulses derived from an oscillatory member are utilized to impart acontinuous rotary motion to a display device. Still another object ofthe invention is to provide a display motor comprising an oscillatorypart adapted to be actuated by the intermittent energization of asolenoid and arranged to operate through novel clutch mechanism toeffect a continous rotary motion of a movable part. Other objects relateto various features of construction and arrangement which will appearmore fully hereinafter.

The nature of the invention [will be understood from the followingspecification taken with the accompanying drawings in which oneembodimentof the invention is illustrated. In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a front elevation of the improved display deviceembodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a vertical section on a reduced scale taken on the line3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig; 4 shows a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit1 by which themotor of the present invention is operate Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof the motor shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the display disk removed;

Fig. 6 shows a front elevation of the motor shown in Figs. 1 and 2,illustrating the positions of the parts at different stages of theoperation of transforming an oscillatory motion into a rotary motion;and

Fig. 7 is a partial front elevation, similar to that of Fig. 6, showinga modified form of the invention.

The present invention is adapted for use in actuating a display cardused for advertising purposes and the present invention differs fromthat disclosed in the prior Letters Patent referred to above in that thedisplay 'card 10 carrying the advertising material is adapted to berotated continuously in the same direction by a display motor whichcauses an oscillatory motion to be transformed into a rotary motion. Thedisplay motor comprises a U-shaped frame member 12 comprising a bottomwall 12a and upwardly extending parallel side walls 12b and 120. Thebottom wall 12a is secured to a channel shaped member 13 which in turnis secured to the upper arms 14a of two other U-shaped frame members 14,each comprising two parallel horizontal arms 14a and an upwardlyextending back wall 14b. The side walls 14a of the lower frame membersare provided with projections 15 which are adapted to be snapped intoengagement with the terminal posts of two dry cell batteries 16 whichare utilized to supply the electric power for actuating the movableparts of the motor as hereinafter described. The batteries are connectedin series by a conductor 17 which is attached to the lower terminalposts. The upright walls 14b of the lower frame members are spaced apartby sleeves 18 mounted on pins or rivets 19.

The upper extremities of the vertical frame members 12b and are spacedapart by pins 20 and there is journalled in the upper parts of theseframe members a pivotally mounted shaft 22 having on the forward side ofthe front frame member 12b a crank arm 22a which is adapted to oscillatein a vertical plane and which terminates in a forwardly extending part22b. Washers 23 are secured to the shaft 22 on the outer sides of thetwo frame members 12b and 120, as shown particularly in Fig. 2, thusholding the shaft against endwise displacement. Between the two framemembers 12b and 120 there is a plate 24 having upstanding ears 24a whichare secured to the shaft 22. This plate is also secured by means ofsleeves 24b to the horizontal portion 25a of an actuating member 25which is adapted to have pivotal movement in a vertical plane about theaxis of the shaft 22. The actuating member comprises a semicircularportion 25b which is connected at its ends with the straight portion 25aand which is adapted to be oscillated when the motor is in operation.

The semicircular portion 25b of the actuating member is substantiallystraight in its middle portion, as is shown at 250 in Fig. 3, and thisstraight portion has secured thereon a permanent magnet 26 in the formof a tubular sleeve closely fitted by the portion 25b of the actuatingmember and this magnet is adapted to oscillate in the magnetic field ofa solenoid 27 which is mounted in fixed position between the arms 12band 12c of the frame 12 and which is adapted to be energizedperiodically in response to the oscillation of the magnet 26 with theactuating member 25. The solenoid 27 is constructed about a centralinsulating sleeve 28 and between the insulating end plates 29, and theactuating member 25 and the magnet 26 are preferably so arranged thatthe magnet will form the core of the solenoid and will operate throughthe tubular insulating member 28.

The plate 24 which carries the actuating member 25 has secured thereto,beneath the shaft 22, a depending contact member 30 which is adapted tobe overlapped to a limited extent by the upper end of a flexible contactmember 31 which is secured by brackets 32 to the upper side of thesolenoid 27 from which it is suitably insulated. In order to preventexcessive vibration of the contact spring 31, a sheet of felt 33 or thelike is slit longitudinally and passed into engagement with the contactspring, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, between the fixed support of thespring and the free upper end thereof. 'It has been found that thissheet of felt, which bears against the frame member 12b at its upper endand which bears on the solenoid at its lower end (the lower end of thefelt sheet having been broken away for clarity), is effective inpreventing undue vibration of the contact spring so that the oscillatorydevice operates with a minimum of noise.

The electric circuit by which the solenoid 27 is energized isillustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4 where the solenoid 27 surroundingthe electromagnet 26 is connected in series with the two batteries 16.These batteries are connected to the ground, as shown at 34, and aconductor 35 leads from the batteries to the upper contact spring 30which is adapted to engage the movable contact spring 31 to establish aconnection with the other terminal of the solenoid.

When the contacts 30 and 31 are engaged, the circuit shown in Fig. 4 iscompleted and an impulse is imparted to the actuating member 25 as aresult of the reaction between the solenoid and the permanent magnet26.. The

contact spring 31 is of substantial length and is adaptedto retaincontact with the stationary contact member 30 through a limited arc oftravel of the contact member 31, whereupon the contact is broken, thesolenoid 27 is deenergized and the magnet 26 and the shaft 22 arereturned by gravity to their initial positions. This causesthe contactbetween the members 30 and 31 to be again completed and the solenoid 27again energized so that a new impulse is imparted to the actuatingmember 25 and the shaft 22, thereby moving the shaft '22 through asubstantial angle in the opposite direction.

For illustration of the operation just referred to, let it be assumedthat the permanent magnet 26 is magnetized with its south pole to theright and its north pole to the left as viewed in Fig. 3 and that thesolenoid 27 is wound so that energization thereof produces a south poleat the right end thereof and a north pole atthe left end thereof,whereby the respective poles of the magnet 26 and the solenoid 27 willrepel each other. Assuming that this reaction causes the magnet 26 andthe actuating member 25 to be swung, for example, to the left, as'viewedin Fig. 3, as soon as the south pole of the magnet 26 passes the centerof the solenoid 27, the north pole of the solenoid will begin to attractthe south pole of the magnet to give further impetus to the movement ofthe magnet toward the left. Before the right end or south pole of themagnet reaches the left end or north pole of the solenoid, the contacts30 and 31 separate and interrupt the circuit of thesolenoid, but themagnet 26, due to its momentum, continues to swing toward the 'leftbeyond the end of the solenoid. When the peak of this left-hand swing isreached, the magnet swings toward the right due to gravity until thecontacts 30 and 31 again engage each other at the center of the swing toclose the circuit of the solenoid 27 again. The south and north poles ofthe magnet 26 will now be repelled toward the right by the respectivesouth and north poles of the magnet and thenorth' pole of the magnetwill be attracted by the south pole of the solenoid, so that the magnetand the'solenoid then swing toward the right. Beforethe magnet reachesthe end of its swing toward the right, the contacts 30 and 31 are againseparated and the solenoid is again de-energized. The magnet thencontinues its swing due to its momentum and, when it reaches the end ofits travel, it returns. by gravity to its center position where thecontacts are again closed and the'cycle is repeated.

The oscillatory motion ofthe actuating member 25, which isimpartedthereto by the magnet 26 and which goes on continuously as long as thebatteries 16 are in place in the frame members 14, is utilized to effecta continuing rotary motion in the same direction of the display device10. This display device is fixed on one end of a shaft 40 which isjournalled in bearings formed in the upright frame members 12b and 120and the end of the shaft opposite the display device 10 has securedthereon a circular disk 41 having a hub 41a which is secured to theshaft by a set screw 41c. This disk has-an annular friction surface 41bthrough which impulses are imparted 'to the disk to elfect the rotationof the shaft 40 and t e is play device 10.

The rotation of the disk 41 is effected by impulses which aretransmitted theretofrom the oscillatory crank arm 22a of the shaft 22which is oscillated through forward and reverse strokes by the actuatingmember 25. The outer extremity 22b of the crank arm 22a is pivotallyconnected to a bar 42 which extends laterally therefrom with its otherend pivotally connected to an arm 43 arranged to extend downwardlytoward the disk 41. The lower end of the arm 43 has secured thereto adriving member 45 having side flanges 45a which are pivoted at 46 to aU-shaped bracket 47. This bracket has its side flanges pivoted on theshaft 40 and it is adapted to swing in a vertical plane with the drivingmember 45. The driving member 45 is preferably formed of relatively softmetal, such as Phosphor bronze, and it is provided with a lowerextremity 45b in the form of a projecting flange having a lower edgewhich is adapted to engage the surface 41b of the disk'41. When the'arm43 is swung toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 6 in response to acorresponding movement of the arm 22a of the shaft 22, the extremity 45bof the driving member is adapted to engage the surface 41b of the disk-41 and causes it to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as indicatedby the arrow 48 in Fig. 6, where the extreme left-hand positions of theparts are illustrated by the dotted lines 49. This driving action of themember 45 upon the disk 41 continues as long as the lower end of the arm43 continues its motion towardthe left and, when the motion of the arm43 is reversed, due to a reverse movement of the oscillatory actuatingmember 25, the driving member 45 is retracted from the surface of thedisk 41 and moves toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 6, to the extremeposition shown by the dotted lines 49. When the arm 43 again movestoward the left, due to a reversal of the actuating member 25, thedriving member 45 again engages the surface of the disk 41 and imparts anew driving impulse thereto. In this way the disk 41 and the displaydevice 10 are rotated continuously in the same direction by successiveincrements of movement which are imparted thereto by the reciprocatorymovement of the driving member 45.

The frame 12 may be provided with metal clips 50 which are offset withrespect to the wall 12b so that they may be passed over supportingmembers 51, as'shown in Fig. 2, to hold the motor in the desiredposition for display purposes. The mass of the parts carried by theshaft 40 is such that this shaft will ordinarily be rotated with asmooth continuousmotioneven though the driving member 45 engages thedisk 41 only intermittently. This arrangement has the advantage that adrivingforce is applied by the member 45 only to the extent necessary tomaintain a substantially constant speed of the disk and the shaft. Ifdesired, the disk may besupplied with an annular series of ratchet teethand a ratchet may be arranged to engage these teeth to prevent reverserotation of the disk 41 between successive feeding operations of themember 45 but this provision has not been found to be necessary. v

In Fig. 7 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modified form of theapparatus for transforming the oscillatory motion of the shaft 22 intothe rotary motion of the'shaft by which the display device is rotated.Inthis form, the shaft 22, operated by the actuating member 25 in themanner previously described, has the extremity 22b of its crank arm 22aarranged to engage a slot 55a in a driving member 55. This drivingmember has a transversely directed curved flange 55b adaptedto' engagethe peripheral surface 561: of the disk 56- fixed on the shaft 40 and ithas a lateral extension 550 which is pivoted at 57 in an arm 58. Thisarm has an extension 57a pivoted on the shaft 40 and it extends upwardlyin an inclined position in the. same vertical plane as the drivingmember 55. When the crank arm 22a isoscillated towardthe right asviewedin Fig. 7, the driving member 55 moves bodily in the same directionaudits flange 55b Lt bears on the surface 56a of the disk to rotate thedisk in the direction of the arrow 59. Then, when the crank arm 22aoscillates in the other direction, the driving member 55 is swung towardthe left as viewed in Fig. 7 with the result that the flange 55b movesout of engagement with the surface of the disk 56 and the upper part ofthe member 55 engages the arm 58 to swing it toward the left, therebylocating the flange 55b in a new position in preparation for the nextdriving stroke of the member 55.

Although two forms of the invention have been shown and described by wayof illustration, it will be understood that it may be constructed invarious other embodiments which come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A'display structure comprising a frame, a shaft mounted for rotationon said frame, a display device mounted on said shaft for movementtherewith, a disc mounted on said shaft for movement therwith and having'a friction surface on the periphery thereof, an arm pivotally mountedon said frame and spaced from said shaft, electrically actuated meansfor imparting oscillatory movement to said arm, a driving member havingone end thereof pivotally connected to said arm and having on the otherend thereof a part frictionally to engage said friction surface, abracket pivotally mounted on said shaft at one end and pivotallyconnected to said driving member at the other end, movement of said armin one direction causing said driving member and said bracket to pivotand to move said part into frictional engagement with said frictionsurface to drive said disc in said one direction and movement of saidarm in the other direction moving said part out of engagement with saidfriction surface to permit said disc to continue rotation in said onedirection, said electrically actuating means oscillating said armwhereby said part imparts driving impulses to said disc when the rate ofmovement of said part along said friction surface is greater than therate of movement of said friction surface when said arm is moved in saidone direction, whereby to cause said disc and said shaft and saiddisplay device to be rotated at a substantially constant speed by saidoscillatory movement of said arm.

2. A display structure comprisinga frame, a shaft mounted for rotationon said frame, a display device mounted on said shaft for movementtherewith, a disc mounted on said shaft for movement therewith andhaving a friction surface on the periphery thereof, an arm pivotallymounted on said frame and spaced from said shaft, electrically actuatedmeans for imparting oscillatory movement to said arm, a driving member,a bar interconnecting said arm and one end of said driving member, theother end of said driving member having a part thereon frictionally toengage said friction surface, a bracket pivotally mounted on said shaftat one end and pivotally connected to said driving member at the otherend and intermediate the ends of said driving member, movement of saidarm in one direction causing said drivmember and said bracket to pivotand to move said part into frictional engagement with said frictionsurface to drive said disc in said one direction and movement of saidarm in the other direction moving said part out of engagement with saidfriction surface to permit said disc to continue rotation in said onedirection, said electrically actuating means oscillating said armwhereby said part imparts driving impulses to said disc when the rate ofmovement of said part along said friction surface is greater than therate of movement of said friction surface when said arm is moved in saidone direction, whereby to cause said disc and said shaft and saiddisplay device to be rotated at a substantially constant speed by saidoscillatory movement of said arm.

3. A display structure comprising a frame, a shaft mounted for rotationon said frame, a display device mounted on said shaft for movementtherewith, a disc mounted on said shaft for movement therewith andhaving a friction surface on the periphery thereof, an arm pivotallymounted on said frame and spaced from said shaft, electrically actuatedmeans for imparting oscillatory movement to said arm, a driving memberhaving a slot therein pivotally and slidably to receive said arm, a partformed on the other end of said driving member frictionally to engagesaid friction surface, a bracket pivotally mounted on said shaft at oneend and extending toward said arm, means pivotally interconnecting theother end of said driving member to said bracket intermediate the endsof said bracket, the other end of said bracket extending upwardlyadjacent to said arm, movement of said arm in one direction causing saiddriving member to pivot to a position to move said part into frictionalengagement with said friction surface to drive said disc in said onedirection and movement of said arm in the other direction moving saidpart out of engagement with said friction surface and moving saiddriving member into contact with said bracket to permit said disc toconthrue rotation in said one direction, said electrically actuatingmeans oscillating said arm whereby said part imparts driving impulses tosaid disc when the rate of movement of said part along said frictionsurface is greater than the rate of movement of said friction surfacewhen said arm is moved in said one direction, whereby to cause said discand said shaft and said display device to be rotated at a substantiallyconstant speed by said oscillatory movement of said arm.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,506,265 Steen Aug. 26, 1924 1,600,088 Burstyn Sept. 14, 1926 1,782,242McNerney Nov. 18, 1930 1,887,843 Ludwig Nov. 15, 1932 2,427,875 PlenslerSept. 23, 1947 2,598,954 Wengel June 3, 1952 2,790,096 Abrahamson Apr.23, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 173,457 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1935

